1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an isolation system for transporting a patient, and more particularly to a system and method for protecting the patient against exposure to a hazardous environment, and protecting persons aiding the patient against contamination from the patient.
2. Background of the Prior art
Typically, when a person is injured and becomes a victim in a contaminated environment, such as occurs in a chemical warfare confrontation, the victim is placed within an enclosure for transportation to a medical facility. Ideally, the enclosure is manufactured of a material that inhibits or prevents the transfer of contaminants from the ambient environment to the victim and from the victim to caregivers, such as medical personnel.
In many cases, it is imperative that medical treatment be given to the patient immediately. However, in order to administer treatment, it is preferred that the patient be isolated and transported into an enclosure within which medical personnel may work on the patient, or additional means must be provided for allowing access to the patient without introducing contaminants into the enclosure containing the patient and without risking contamination of the medical personnel. In this regard, it is desirable to isolate the patient from the environment when the environment contains substances that may be detrimental to the medical patient. For example, if the patient has suffered severe blood loss or is experiencing difficulty breathing, then it is desirable to prevent the patient from breathing dust, engine exhaust, smoke, etc. It is also desirable to isolate the medical patient from the environment when bacteriological, chemical and/or radiological hazards are present, as may occur during battlefield conditions. Similarly, it is desirable to isolate a contaminated patient to ensure that such contamination is not spread to the medical personnel providing treatment.
There are many devices and structures available in the art for isolating a patient for protection against additional exposure to a hazardous environment while monitoring the patient as well as isolating the potentially infectious patient from caregivers to prevent exposure and/or contamination. Many such devices are directed to use with an individual patient who is exposed to ambient contamination from, for example, chemical, biological, infectious agent, environmental, and radiation sources.
Unfortunately, prior art apparatuses currently available for treating the patient in the field are generally ineffective in providing an environment conducive to the administration of medical treatment, and can thus cause treatment to be delayed until the patient is transported to an adequate medical facility, which is frequently not readily accessible. Such prior art apparatuses are further generally deficient in providing an environment where both the patient and medical personnel treating the patient are protected from contaminants, let alone actually facilitate the removal of contaminants already present on the skin and/or clothes of the casualty victim.